The HE400 gets definitely loud enough with other games, but I can see that some games will have an issue getting loud enough for my taste, just like the DT990 Pros did.
I'm considering the E17 (want one for portable use), but I'm not sure how well it boosts volume when attached to another amp like the Mixamp. I know the E5 and E7 didn't add much of anything.

I have used the E17 with the mixamp and it will boost the volume the gain stages help. So I would use 45 volume on 0 gain, 35V on 6G, 25 to 27V on 12G. The problem would be that I found anything past 1o'clock on the DT990pro/Mixamp to loud for my hearing and I would normally be 50%-60% on the mic side. So I am not sure if the E17 would be loud enough for your tastes. Or my hearing is stupidly delicate and I have driven a forklift for the past 15 years using my hearing protection with KSC75s stuffed inside.

If you say it helps, that's more than enough. It's mostly for the last bit of oomph anyways. The E17 is something I mainly want ti help with my portables, as the HE400 is very quiet off the Vita and PSP. That and I have the DAc in case I ever need one.

Finally! I just read all 458! pages of this thread, got into the game late (like reeeealllly late) but didn't want to post without reading the ENTIRE thread (yeah I'm kind of anal about forums). First off HUGE thanks to MLE, You my friend, have the patience of a saint. There were times when I would have given up on some of these wayward sheep, yet you never voiced your own superiority, were always level headed, and pretty humble when it came to things you didn't know. Mad props for that. (Warning: Wall of text to follow...hey in my defense I've been holding it in for 458 pages...excuse my verbal diarrhea)

I got sucked into this thread after my AX720s died a slow painful death. Current 720 owners take care with your headset plug (end with dual 3.5mm male) On the older 5.1s the strain relief (if you can call it that... its a hard piece of plastic which looks like a triangle literally molded to the cord) does not do its job, and after awhile, can cause the inside wires to lose strength/strain, until you lose the associated driver (mine was the left). Don't take this the wrong way though, although very, very, plasticky, the Trittons are built like a Tonka Truck, and I just abused the heck out of them.

Before Diablo 3 I was pretty much playing BF3 or MW3 pretty much every night, but since I built a computer especially for D3, I figure might as well put some time into that.

In the past 2 weeks while reading the thread I've picked up a pair of DT990 Pros, an AD800, wired Mixamp (getting tired of the line hiss with the AX720 decoder although, at times, "digital rain" was actually fairly interesting/amusing, and figured its worth a try). Will probably get a pair of Qs while I'm at it...(and some 880s and an amp/dac…yea you guys/gals feel me). All I can say is that everyone has been pretty spot on with the equipment, and I pretty much knew what I was getting (and what I was getting into) before my first listen. And boy what a glorious first listen that was…every time. Thanks to all who contributed!

And now for a question…

Right now I haven't received the Mixamp and have the decoder feeding an older Sony receiver (Model STR-D611)… this thing has the original ProLogic on board…seriously old. I've tried looking up the HP output specs to no avail… the best description I could find for it was "supports high and low impedance Headphones"…great. Now I realize that I could run the 990Pros off the 720 Decoder Box alone, which is fine for now, but I have a feeling that the D3 addiction/grind is going to wear off and I'll be back to either BF3 or MW3. I party up with a group of regulars that chat constantly. My concern is when voice is added to the mix, the 720 DB/Mixamp would start struggling with the added load… and/or the receiver my/may not be powerful enough to properly drive the Pros/Qs. My plan was to use the receiver until the ODA is released, and maybe buy a portable amp along the way. I do all of my HP listening while at home, thus drastically reducing my need for a portable amp. Is this a viable solution, or am I missing out on a better experience? Your inputs if you please?

Oh, and if someone could point me to a guide on "how to use this forum" (i.e. editing profile, deleting lists, adding sigs... things of that nature) I would appreciate it as well. It doesn't have to necessarily be on this site, but whatever engine/application this particular forum uses.

Finally! I just read all 458! pages of this thread, got into the game late (like reeeealllly late) but didn't want to post without reading the ENTIRE thread (yeah I'm kind of anal about forums). First off HUGE thanks to MLE, You my friend, have the patience of a saint. There were times when I would have given up on some of these wayward sheep, yet you never voiced your own superiority, were always level headed, and pretty humble when it came to things you didn't know. Mad props for that. (Warning: Wall of text to follow...hey in my defense I've been holding it in for 458 pages...excuse my verbal diarrhea)

I got sucked into this thread after my AX720s died a slow painful death. Current 720 owners take care with your headset plug (end with dual 3.5mm male) On the older 5.1s the strain relief (if you can call it that... its a hard piece of plastic which looks like a triangle literally molded to the cord) does not do its job, and after awhile, can cause the inside wires to lose strength/strain, until you lose the associated driver (mine was the left). Don't take this the wrong way though, although very, very, plasticky, the Trittons are built like a Tonka Truck, and I just abused the heck out of them.

Before Diablo 3 I was pretty much playing BF3 or MW3 pretty much every night, but since I built a computer especially for D3, I figure might as well put some time into that.

In the past 2 weeks while reading the thread I've picked up a pair of DT990 Pros, an AD800, wired Mixamp (getting tired of the line hiss with the AX720 decoder although, at times, "digital rain" was actually fairly interesting/amusing, and figured its worth a try). Will probably get a pair of Qs while I'm at it...(and some 880s and an amp/dac…yea you guys/gals feel me). All I can say is that everyone has been pretty spot on with the equipment, and I pretty much knew what I was getting (and what I was getting into) before my first listen. And boy what a glorious first listen that was…every time. Thanks to all who contributed!

And now for a question…

Right now I haven't received the Mixamp and have the decoder feeding an older Sony receiver (Model STR-D611)… this thing has the original ProLogic on board…seriously old. I've tried looking up the HP output specs to no avail… the best description I could find for it was "supports high and low impedance Headphones"…great. Now I realize that I could run the 990Pros off the 720 Decoder Box alone, which is fine for now, but I have a feeling that the D3 addiction/grind is going to wear off and I'll be back to either BF3 or MW3. I party up with a group of regulars that chat constantly. My concern is when voice is added to the mix, the 720 DB/Mixamp would start struggling with the added load… and/or the receiver my/may not be powerful enough to properly drive the Pros/Qs. My plan was to use the receiver until the ODA is released, and maybe buy a portable amp along the way. I do all of my HP listening while at home, thus drastically reducing my need for a portable amp. Is this a viable solution, or am I missing out on a better experience? Your inputs if you please?

The questions that drive me crazy are private messages asking me what's goof for fun and for competitive. I'm like 'It's on the first post!" It's not like I'm hiding my preferences! I get asked this almost daily, sometimes twice or more.

I'd say you were the patient one by reading through all this nonsense, lol.

I'd say the reciever should have enough power for basic use. It won't be the best, but should suffice for now until the ODA comes out. Are you planning on using the AX720 box and running it to the reciver? (I assume from the AX720s headphone out, to the reciever's analog/RCA in). If so, I'm pretty sure the receiver should be fine for now. Theproblem with receivers is that they may have a headphone out that has a very high output impedance, and could make sound quality worse. But I'd say it's worth testing out first and see if it sounds fine.

I myself need an amp with an analog input, and I'm thinking I'll probably get the E17 since I could use a portable dac/amp in the future.Edited by Mad Lust Envy - 8/9/12 at 8:07am

And every poster asking the same questions over and over is new to them, so it must be new to the discussion, and therefore worth posting right? I swear that this thread could have been about 1/4 shorter if not for the repeated questions.... but at least it served a purpose. I know my purchases were pretty much set in stone, as to what i was looking for, ironically through the eyes (ears?) of others. Hmm... I seem to REALLY like using commas.

I'd say the reciever should have enough power for basic use. It won't be the best, but should suffice for now until the ODA comes out. Are you planning on using the AX720 box and running it to the reciver? (I assume from the AX720s headphone out, to the reciever's analog/RCA in). If so, I'm pretty sure the receiver should be fine for now. Theproblem with receivers is that they may have a headphone out that has a very high output impedance, and could make sound quality worse. But I'd say it's worth testing out first and see if it sounds fine.

Thanks for the confirmation MLE.

Yup thats how I have things set up so far. The possible combinations I've tried have resulted in only slight changes in terms of SQ/noise, i.e.

PC--->990

PC/Xbox360-->Reciever--->990

PC/Xbox360-->720 decoder--->Reciever--->990

PC/Xbox360-->720 decoder--->990

I think the next real big improvements will come from an amp, and possibly switiching from the 720 DB to the Mixamp (though not really counting on this one).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Lust Envy
I myself need an amp with an analog input, and I'm thinking I'll probably get the E17 since I could use a portable dac/amp in the future.

Oohhhh... new toys! At first I was also thinking of just getting an E17 + E9K combo... but then i figured for the price I might as well just invest in a standalone desktop amp/dac. Kind of wavering now that i got the phones in.

It was the Turtle Beach Systems Santa Cruz sound card, bought it about 10 years ago, think I bought it when I had Windows 98.

Very stable card.

Now that's a sound card I haven't heard of in a while! IIRC, it used a lot of Sensaura technologies like Virtual Ear (binaural HRTF mixing), and was generally regarded as a good card at the time. Heck, it was THE product I knew Turtle Beach for, as I saw it in practically every computer store's inventory back then. Never owned one myself, though.

The other notable Turtle Beach sound cards I know of are from the Montego line (except the Montego DDL), since they're based on Aureal Vortex chipsets. I actually have a Montego II lying around that I got from a computer shop dirt cheap, but I haven't gotten around to building a proper Win9x gaming computer to put it in so I can put A3D to the test.